Broadcasting apparatus



Jan. 4, 1944. J. P. DONOVAN ET AL BROADCASTING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 4, 1944- J. P. DONOVAN ET AL 2,333,320

BROADCASTING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 by certain undesirable features.

Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BROADCASTING APPARATUS James Patrick Donovan and William Russell MacDonald, Quincy, Mass.

Application July it, 1941, Serial No. 402,676

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for spreading fluent materials such as sand, gravel, peastone, fertilizer, etc., upon the surface of highways, farms, etc., and more particularly to a novel apparatus which is designed to replace the tailgates of vehicles having tiltable-bodies, and automatically deliver such materials therefrom at the will of a single operator.

Various apparatus have been designed in the past for broadcasting fluent materials but none of these have been satisfactory from a practical standpoint inasmuch as they were characterized For example, some of these prior apparatus require more than one operator, others require auxiliary power units 'or power takeoffs, the latter considerably impeding easy removal of the broadcasting unit, while still others are not readily attachable to or de- -tachab1e from conventional dump truck bodies nor are the broadcasting means provided readily controllable when it is desired to temporarily suspend the broadcasting of the material, thus renand adjacent the area over which the vehicle passes as desired by the operator thereof.

Another object is to provide a. unit which is arranged to be attached as a tail-gate to vehicle dump bodies and which includes spreading or broadcasting means for fluent 'materials, and other means for delivering such fluent material to the material spreading means.

Another object is to provide a self-contained unit which, when attached as the tail-gate to the dump body of a vehicle, may be operated by raising the dump body of the vehicle to automatically terial to the unit, and mechanism positively driven by the wheel to eilect delivery of fluent material from the bodyot the vehicle to a friction driven rotating spreader for broadcasting purposes,

Another object is to provide a unit of novel structure which may be readily attached to or detached from a vehicle dump body to serve as a tail-gate therefor and retain fluent materials therein when the dump body is in the normal horizontal position and which is provided with a wheel adapted to engage the ground to positively drive material delivering and broadcasting means when the dump body has been tilted to an inclined position.

It is another object to, Provide a unit of novel structure to serve as the tail-gate of a dump veunload and distribute fluent materials at .a conported unit which is adapted to be attached'as a tail-gate to a vehicle dump body and which includes means for directing the discharge or ma- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the detachable V unit in position as the tail-gate of the usual dump truck body,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit, Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, parts being shown in elevation, and

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 44 01' Figure 3, parts being shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawings numeral I 0 designates a. conventional truck having a tiltable or dump body ll pivotally mounted thereon from which the usual tail-gate has been removed. The trailer unit comprising the present invention and designated as a whole by numeral I2 (Figure 1) is shown connected to the rear of the dump body and replacing the usual tail-gate. The tail-gate trailer unit I! is pivotally-connected to the'dump body II by utilizing the bottom tail board hinge standards (not shown) which permits relative motion between the trailer unit [2 and the dump body II for a purpose to be described. The connection between the unit I2 and the body' II is completed by means of a pair of chains H which secure a horizontal platform IQ "of the trailer unit I! to the corners of the top rear sections of the sides of the dump body II by means of hooks I 5. v l

The platform I6 is provided with an opening l8 which is located adjacent its rear edge and centrally or the width thereof for a purpose to be described. The platform I8 is preferably though not necessarily formed of heavy gauge metal and is provided along its front edge with a laterally extending L-shaped reinforcing member l8. A heavy channel member 28 extends from front to rear of the trailer unit I 2 beneath the platform l8 and substantially spaced therefrom and is rigidly secured to the L-shaped reinforcing member l8 by means of a vertically extending channel section 2|. Suitable bracing members 23 and 24 extend from the left hand corners of the floor l8 (as viewed in Figure 2) to the respective ends of the channel member 28. A supporting wheel 25 is provided for the trailer unit and is rotatable on a spindle 21 carried by the channel member 28 (Figure 4). The wheel 25 is provided with a pneumatic tire and a special hub 28 which has integral therewith a shaft 88 supported adjacent its right end (Figure 4) in a suitable bearing 8| suspended from the right hand corners of the platform l8 by means of the two angle members 82 and 88. To insure a strong and rigid structure, an additional angle member 88 connects the I body H and are suitably braced at spaced points I by means of strap metal angle members 88. It will be noted (Figure 2) that the opening I8 is located just within the apex of the V formed by the sides 81. The front ends of the sides 81 are provided with laterally extending portions 38 provided with braces 48 extending from the top edges of the side portions 88 to lateral extensions 42 of the platform I8 which are suitably secured thereto by welding or other means.

A pair of antifriction bearings 48 is provided on the front faces of the lateral extensions 38 and support therein a laterally extending shaft ,48 which has integral therewith a pair of opposed screw or worm conveyors l8 and 48 and a pair of paddles ii and 52. It will be obvious that rotation of the shaft 48 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the left in Figure 2 will feed any .fluent materials about the worms l8 and 48 toward the center of the platform 18 where such material will be thrown by the paddles II and 82 toward the opening l8.

The shaft 48 and its opposed worms 48 and 48 have a driving connection with the wheel 25 by means of sprockets 54 and 58 which are mounted respectively on shafts 48 and 88 and connected by a roller chain 88. The sprockets 58 and 58 and their connecting chain 88 are encased in an oil tight casing 88 formed of complementary sec-v tions 88 secured together by bolts 60. It will now be apparent that when the wheel 28 is permitted to bear or rest upon the roadway, motion of the towing vehicle will cause rotation of the wheel which will be transmitted by means of the sprockets, and I8 and the connecting chain 88 to the shaft 48 and its opposed worms 48 and 48.

Referring to .Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that a channel member 8| is pivotally supported at one extremity by the vertical member 2| as at 88 and is supported at its other extremity by a vertically arranged screw 85 which has'been bers GI and a lock nut II is threaded on the screw 88 and engages against the bottom of such web.

A suitable antifriction thrust bearing 18 is secured upon the channel 8| intermediate its ends and supports a heavy metallic disk or plate 18 having spaced radially extending fins or vanes H which terminate Just short of a vertically extending hub portion 80 having spiral blades 8| secured thereto or integral therewith. The hub 80 extends upwardly through the opening l8 and the hub 80 and the disk 18 are mounted upon an axially extending shaft 83 having nuts 8| on its upper and lower ends. The hub portion 88 is secured to the disk 18 by countersunk screws 88.

The spiral blades 8| are arranged on the hub 88 so as to cause any fl uent material which is thrown thereagainst by the paddles BI and 82 to be fed downwardly upon the disk I8 upon rotation of the assembly.

The disk 18 and its hub 88 together comprise upon movement of the trailer, rotation of the.

wheel 25 will cause-rotation of the disk 18 by means of the frictional engagement therebe The force with which the disk 18 bearstween. upon the wheel 28 may be adjusted by means of the nuts I8 and II so as to secure at all times eflicient frictional engagement between thewheel and the disk to ensure rotation of the broad-.-

casting unit.

The V-shaped sides 31 are provided with a pair of vertical members 88 which define the sides of the area of the platform l8 upon'which fluent material is to be received. These side members 88 are welded or otherwise secured to the platform and to the sides 81 as at 81 and are provided with cutout portions 88 through which the shaft 48 extends. The lower front comers of the side sections 88 have been cutaway as at 88 so that the trailer unit I! may pivot freely with respect to the dump body II as will be explained. I These side members 88 have a second function, that of acting as guards for the opposed worm sections '48 and 48 and the paddles 6| and 52. When relative pivoting of the trailer unit l2 and the dumpv body ll ocours in a direction toward each other,-the side sections 88 will contact with the bottom of the truck body to act as a stop, thus preventing damage to the feedingscrews l8 and 48 and ensuring continuous feeding if the wheel 28 is contacting the surface of the ground.

The trailer unit I! is connected to the bottom tall-board hinge standards by means of bracket lugs 82 which'are preferably though not necessarily formed integral with the caps of the bearlugs 44 supporting shaft 48. It has been found desirable in actual practice to provide a pair of rearwardly converging members 88 (Figure 1) on either side of the floor of the dump body of the truck and at the rear thereof so as to as slst in guiding the fluent material when the dump body ll istilted or elevated. These members 88, which may be formed of wood, metal or any desired material of sufllcient strength for the purpose, form together a chute which directs the flow of fluent material to the platform and -88. The head 18 of the screw -engages I8 within thearea bounded by the V-shaped sides 81 and the side portions 88. The latter extend inwardly and slightly past the ends of the converging members 95 so as to cooperate with them in properly directing the flow of material upon the platform It regardless of the relative angular positions of the trailer unit l2 and the truck body I l. The chute forming members 96 may be placed in the rear of the truck dump body ll before loading and they may be secured thereto. It has been also found desirable to provide the rear faces of the sides 31 with light reflecting elements 98 of substantial size so as to give warning to motors approaching from the rear at night.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Although it will be apparent that the trailer unit is capable of use with fluent materials of many types, including fertilizer for distribution over farm lands, the operation of the trailer 4 unit will be described in connection with its use as a sand spreader or broadcaster for the surfaces of highways.

When it is desired to attach the trailer unit to the dump body of a conventional truck, the

K tail-gate of the body is'removed and the tailgate trailer unit I2 is moved against the rear of the truck in such a manner that'the open or front end of the V-shaped sides 31 of the trailer unit abuts and encloses the rear end of the truck body. In this position the platform l5 of the trailer unit l2 will be slightly above and within the end of the dump body to which it is hingedly connected to the bottom tail-board hinge standards by means of the lugs 92. The trailer unit is further secured to the dump body by means of the chains I4 which serve two important functions. These chains act as a safe guard against accidental disconnection of the tail-gate trailer unit from the rear of the dump truck body and further and more important, are the means by' which the trailer unit is lifted off the roadway when the dump body is lowered when it is not desired to sand any particular parts thereof, it being obvious that the lifting of the trailer unit I 2 from the roadway stops the discharge of said material there-from inasmuch as rotation of the dyriving wheel 25 will stop. I

After. the chains have been connected to the hooks on the rear of the dump body of the truck in such a manner that when the dump body is tilted (Figures 1 and 3) the wheel 25 will rest upon the surface of the roadway, the chute forming members 95 should be positioned in the truck. The members 95 will of course be resting within the dump body in the proper position against the sides thereof. When being loaded with sand, the truck body will be in a horizontal position thus supporting the trailer unit above the surface of the roadway by means of the chains H.

When the operator of a dump truck equipped with the present invention desires to commence sanding a certain strip of roadway, he causes the dump body of the truck to be elevated or inclined thus lowering the wheel of the trailer unit into contact with the surface of the roadway. Due to the pivotal connection between the trailer unit l2 and the dump body H and to the inclined lower corners 90 of the tail-gate side sections 85 which protect the screws 48 and 49 from injury, the inclination of the dump body ll may be increased as desired after the wheel 25 has contacted the road surface.

As the load of sand contained in the dump truck body commences sliding rearwardly due to the inclination thereof, it will be guided by the chute forming members 96 within the area defined by the V-shaped sides 31 and upon the surface of the platform It of the trailer unit I2. When the wheel contacts the surface of the roadway, it will of course be rotated and, as previously described, will rotate the shaft 45. The outer circumference of the tire on the wheel 25 will also frictionally engage the lower surface of the disk 16 causing it to rotate and to broadcast by centrifugal action all material which is fed to it by the action of the opposed worms l8 and 49 and the paddles 5| and 52.

Rotation of the wheel 25 drives the opposed feed screws 48 and 49 so that the sand being discharged on the platform of the trailer unit I 2 is fed toward the center thereof and then thrown rearwardly toward the opening 18 bythe paddles 5| and 52.

The sand so propelled to the opening l8 will vdrop downwardly upon the rotating disk I5 and this movement is assisted by the spiral vanes 8| on the hub 80. The action of these spiral vanes 8| is particularly desirable when a load of damp sand is being broadcast fromthe dump body by means of the trailer unit l2.

Inasmuch as the rotation of the disk I6 is effected by direct frictional engagement of the wheel 25, the speed of rotation of the disk varies as the speed at which the trailer unit is towed along the surface of the roadway. Obviously, the

higher the speed of rotation of the disk 15 the greater the throw of the sand therefrom. Accordingly, the operator of the truck can control the size f the area over which broadcasting of the sand is accomplished by speeding up or slowing down the truck. When the truck operator approaches spots which are not to be sanded, he drops the dump body a sufficient distance to lift the wheel 25 clear of the roadway, thus suspending the broadcasting of the sand. The sanding form I5 retains sufiicient sand so that broadcasting is immediately resumed when the wheel again bears on the roadway and even before the sand has slid back onto the platform I6 from the dump body.

From the foregoing description of the operation of the apparatus it will be apparent that the entire sand broadcasting operation can be effected automatically by a single operator in an expeditious and efficient manner without leaving his seat. Moreover, the present invention provides in one simple self-contained unit a tail-gate readily interchangeable with the conventional tail-gate of truck bodies, chutes for guiding the discharge of the material from the truck onto the trailer unit, and mechanism automatically operative upon roadway contact of the supporting wheel to feed the material from the tail-gate platform and broadcast it upon the surface of a roadway.

It is to be understood that the'form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A broadcasting apparatus for a. vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally connectibie to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, a material receiving platform mounted on said frame, a pair of rearwardly converging sides fixed to said platform and closing the open end of the body, material feeding and broadcasting means mounted on said frame and having driving.connection with said wheel, and means connecting the body and the platform for maintaining said wheel in an inoperative position above the ground when the body is in its normally horizontal position.

assassin the open end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material received from the tilted body to the center of said plaform and toward s opening, a rotatable disk mounted beneath sai opening on said frame and having frictional engagement with said wheel, means connecting said feeding 1 means with said wheel for rotation thereby when '2. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle havthe body is tilted and the ground is engaged by said wheel when the vehicle is in motion.

3. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means formaintaining said wheel above the ground when-the body is in its normally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, and a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame and having a driving connection with said wheel, said disk being operative when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the ground is engaged by said wheel to broadcast material received from the tilted body.

4. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally 1 connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the groundwhen the body is tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining the wheel above the ground when the body is in its normal-- ly horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, material feeding the center of said platform and toward said open.. ing, a rotatable disk mounted beneath said openingon said frame and having frictional engagement with said wheel, and means connecting said feeding means with said wheel for rotation'thereby when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in the ground engaging position. 5. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally.

connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for 'said frame arranged to engage the ground when means mounted on said platform and arranged .to move material received from the tilted body to the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in the ground engaging position, said material feeding means comprising a shaft, a pair of opposed worm conveyors integral-therewith, and a plurality of oppositely disposed paddles mounted on said shaftjand centrally thereof.

6. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally i connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining said wheel above the ground when the body is in its nor mally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material'from the body to the center of said platform and toward said opening,

a plurality of guards mounted on opposite sides of said platform adjacent said feeding means and arranged to abut the floor of the. body to ensure free operationoi thefeedlng means during relative motion of the body and the frame, a

rotatable disk mounted eneath said opening on said frame and having a frictional engagement with said wheel, and means connecting said material feeding means with said wheel for rotation "said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material received from the body to the center of said platform and toward said opening, a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame and having a frictional engagement with said wheel, material feeding means removably mounted on said disk and extendingthrough said opening, and means connecting said platform material feeding means with said wheel for rotation thereby when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in a ground engaging position.

8. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is .tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining said wheel above the ground when thebody is in its normally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex aboutsaid opening to closethe open end of the body: material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material received from the body to the centerof said platform and toward said openin a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame and having a frictional engagement with said wheel, material feeding means removably mounted on said disk and extending through said opening, and means connecting said platform material feeding means with said wheel for rotation thereby when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in a ground en-' gaging position, said second named material feeding means comprising a vertically extending hub portion rigidly secured to said disk and having spiral blades arranged to feed material downwardly through said opening upon rotation of the disk 9. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body and chute'forming members on the floor thereof, comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged. to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining said wheel above the ground when the body is in its normally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame. a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open'end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material received from the body to the center of said platform and toward said opening,.a plurality of guards mounted on opposite sides of said platform adjacent said feeding means and arranged to abut the floor of the body to ensure free operation of the feeding means during relative motion of the body and the frame, a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame'and having frictional engagement with said wheel, and means connecting said material feeding means with said wheel for rotation thereby when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in a ground engaging position, said guards being constructed and arranged to limit laterally the material receiving area of said platform and cooperate with the chute forming members to direct the material upon the material receiving area of the platform.

10. In combination with a vehicle having a tiltable body and chute forming members upon the floor thereof, a broadcasting apparatus comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body,

a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage .the ground when the body is tilted, a material receiving platform mounted on said frame and forming substantially a continuation of the floor of the body, a pair of rearwardly converging sides fixed to said platform and closing the open end of the body, a pair of side members mounted upon opposite sides of the platform to limit laterally the material receiving area of said platform, said side members being adjacent and extending slightly within the chute forming members to guide the discharge of material to said platform," material feeding and broadcasting means arranged on said frame and having operative driving connection with said wheel when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in a ground engaging position, and flexible means connecting the body and said platform for maintaining said wheel in an inoperative position above the ground when the body is in its normally horizontal position.

-11. In combination with a vehicle having a tiltable body, a broadcasting apparatus comprisinga frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground, when the body is tilted, a material receiving platform mounted on said frame, a. pair of rearwardly converging sides fixed to said platform and closing the open end or the body, material feeding and broadcasting means mounted on said frame and having driving connection withsaid wheel, and means connecting the body and the platform for maintaining said wheel in an inoperative position above the ground when the body is in its normally horizontal position.

12. In combination with a vehicle having a tiltable body, a broadcasting apparatus comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means for maintaining said wheel above the ground "when the body is in its normally horizdntal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, apair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, and a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame and having a driving connection with said wheel, said disk being operative when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the ground is engaged by said wheel to broadcast material receivedifrom the tilted body.

13. In combination with tiltable body, a broadcasting apparatus comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining the wheel above the ground a vehicle having a when the body is in its normally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to an apex about said opening to close the open end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material re- T tiltable body, a broadcasting apparatus comprising a frame pivotally connectible to the body, a supporting wheel for said frame arranged to engage the ground when the body is tilted, flexible means connecting the body and said frame for maintaining said wheel above the ground when the body is in its normally horizontal position, a material receiving platform having an opening therein mounted on said frame, a pair of sides fixed to said platform and converging to anapexabout said opening to close the open end of the body, material feeding means mounted on said platform and arranged to move material received from the tilted body to the center of said platform and toward said opening. a plurality of guards mounted on opposite sides of said platform adjacent said feeding means and arranged to abut the floor of the body to ensure free operation of the feeding means during relative motion of the body and the frame, a rotatable disk mounted beneath said opening on said frame and having a frictional engagement with said wheel, and means connecting said material feeding means, with said wheel for rotation thereby when the body of the moving vehicle is tilted and the wheel is in a ground enga lnz position.

15. A broadcasting apparatus for a vehicle having a tiltable body, comprising a structure vpivotally connectible to the body, said structure having a platform provided with a forward edge positioned substantially in contact with the top assaaso surface of the bottom of the tiltable body rm. cent the rear edge thereof. said structure further comprising a pair of walls having their forward edges arranged in said body substantially surface of the ground, and means limiting piv- 1 otal movement of said structure downwardly with respect to said tiltable body wherebydownward swinging of-the latter will lift said wheel from engagement with the ground.

JAMES PATRICK DONOVAN. WILHAM RUSSELL MacDONALD. 

